roughhouse

1 of 2

noun

rough·​house ˈrəf-ˌhau̇s 

: violence or rough boisterous play

roughhouse

2 of 2

verb

rough·​house ˈrəf-ˌhau̇s 

-ˌhau̇z

roughhoused; roughhousing

transitive verb

: to treat in a boisterously rough manner

in the yard, roughhousing the kids

intransitive verb

: to engage in roughhouse

The kids were roughhousing in the family room.

Synonyms of roughhouse

Noun

• roughhousing
• horseplay
• joking
• funning
• clowning
• tomfoolery
• monkeying
• buffoonery
• skylarking

Examples of roughhouse in a Sentence

Noun

their parents simply wouldn't tolerate any roughhouse in the living room

Verb

The kids were roughhousing in the living room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The boys still have room to roughhouse—and even space to set up their Ping-Pong table near the living area. — Jody Garlock, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2026

This is why some people work nine hours a day, go to the gym, and roughhouse with their kids in the evening, while others already feel tired just thinking about this daily schedule. — Lieke Ten Brummelhuis, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025

Verb

The child-friendly design ensures little to no injury in the event of roughhousing gone wrong and the splashes of color feel youthful but still thoughtfully designed. — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2026

Putting down the laptop more frequently and roughhousing with friends might still lead to some occasional bruising, but might be safer for children in the long run. — Mike McRae 09, New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1882, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1898, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for roughhouse

• alehouse
• almshouse
• backhouse
• baghouse
• bakehouse
• bathhouse
• bauhaus
• blockhouse
• boathouse
• brewhouse
• bunkhouse
• clubhouse

Kids Definition

roughhouse

1 of 2 noun

rough·​house ˈrəf-ˌhau̇s 

: violence or rough noisy play

roughhouse

2 of 2 verb

rough·​house -ˌhau̇s 

-ˌhau̇z

roughhoused; roughhousing

: to take part in roughhouse